The Gospel and Jody Dillow

So here’s Jody Dillow’s statement he allowed me to publish…and below I’ve linked my Open Letter. Here’s the point. Please discuss things with with me and among yourselves. Jody will weigh in when he’d like. This is strickly an effort to clarify where different Free Grace Leaders stand on the simple nature of the gospel. I’d be happy to interact … talk to me!

“I believe that in order for one to be saved he has to believe that Jesus is the Christ (that is, the Lamb of God who takes away sin and the Messiah), the Son of God (that is, He is God), and in believing one can have eternal life through His name. One must trust in Christ’s forgiveness for sin wrought for him at Calvary as an essential element of saving faith.” -Jody Dillow (by permission, email correspondence, September 4, 2009)

OpenLetterDillow.pdf

God bless,

FRL

Order BACK TO FAITH by Fred Lybrand

Biblically Speaking, Resources to Consider

“Back To Faith” is now available

0215ag3sxa 9 Comments

Go To: BACK TO FAITH

I’ll have them on sale at the Free Grace Alliance Conference (www.freegracealliance.com)

I’ll also offer a .pdf for purchase shortly (if you buy the book…I’ll probably give you the .pdf for your Kindle by request)

This is like nothing you’ve ever seen…I hope it turns out to be quite a resource!

TO ORDER BACK TO FAITH, CLICK HERE:

Order BACK TO FAITH by Fred Lybrand

“Maintaining veneration for Calvin, this work resolves inherent contradictions to the Gospel found in the Reformed tradition. Lybrand reiterates “faith alone in Christ alone,” and works accompanying salvation are “normal but not necessary” while cogently requiring the reader to reexamine theological traditions. My prayer for the mindful Reformer: Read and wrestle with these words. Be willing to abandon all, for the clarity of the Gospel cannot be undervalued.”

Jay Quine, ThM, PhD, Dallas Theological Seminary;
President, College of Biblical Studies

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“Fred Lybrand’s analysis of the common saying, ‘Faith alone saves, but the faith that saves is not alone,’ exposes the logical and biblical fallacies inherent in Calvin’s famous statement. With careful exegesis he dissects James’ discussion of faith and works with fresh insight into this controversial passage. When I read his doctoral dissertation I immediately encouraged him to publish this so that many others could benefit. The book is well written and finally puts Calvin’s cliché to rest—where it belongs.”

– Jody Dillow

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TO ORDER BACK TO FAITH, CLICK HERE:

Order BACK TO FAITH BY Fred Lybrand

Biblically Speaking

What is Faith?

0215ag3sxa 56 Comments

I’ve been pondering faith a bit more of late. It seems universally accepted that we can choose to believe whatever we want to. I’m not sure this is really that clear in the Bible or in the world of common sense. For example, take a moment just now and ‘choose to believe’ that you are the opposite sex. If you are a man, just believe you are a woman for a few minutes…a woman, then believe you’re a man.

So, how did that go? You see, it isn’t just a matter of ‘choosing’ something else is in operation. The word in Greek has the idea of ‘fully persuaded’ or ‘fully convinced’ as mentioned of Abraham in Romans 4:21. I’m not arguing that God has to give us faith as a gift, since clearly we have the capacity to believe as part of our design as humans. We’re not always that willing or interested in believing, however.

Of course, we are ‘saved by grace through faith’ —which means that believing in Christ, which includes who He is and what He did—make the question paramount. Yet, again, what is faith and how do we come to ‘believe’?

As I’ve thought about it a little more, I’m thinking the word ‘conclude’ could be very helpful here. When we believe something to be true we have come to a conclusion. Faith also does not have the absolute ‘proof’ of certainty as we describe it of facts in the real world…but it still has a kind of certainty and knowing that comes with the conclusion of what we believe.

So, when we conclude that “Jesus Paid It All” …when we conclude that He delivers us eternally…we we conclude that our works make no contribution—it is in that conclusion, that faith, that we are delivered and assured (according to His promise).

Now, with daily or living faith; isn’t it the same? Isn’t it about reading God’s Word and coming to a conclusion about something it says about the Lord, others, or our own lives? Which leads to a simple application. If you are wrestling with believing something that God says (like in Matt 6 when He says the Father will take care of you), why not just start asking a very simple question:

What would it take for me to conclude ________ ?

As you fill in the blank, you at least know what the issue is about your faith; or, you may just discover you really do believe!

Fred Lybrand

Uncategorized

Communication 102 – Opinion Hurts

0215ag3sxa 11 Comments

Sorry for the absence…been on vacation…did a lot of reflecting!

Here’s another key point in communication: separate FACT from OPINION

It is a simple fact that people don’t really conflict about facts; but it is a further fact that people go to war over opinions. The next time you are wrestling with someone (or are overseeing a disagreement), just set the facts on one side of a sheet of paper and the opinions on the other. Suddenly you’ll know what you are EXACTLY disagreeing (and agreeing) about.

It gets even cooler when you ask this question, “Now, can we find out if this (name one) opinion is true or not?” If you can’t, then why argue?—you can’t prove it. If you can prove your opinion, then go do so and make it into a FACT (so everyone will agree).

Frankly, theology and the news is loaded with all this strident and nonsensical brandishing of opinions. I’ve been the victim of plenty of this and I’m afraid I’ve left a few marks on others as well. Not now.

Maturity in communication finds out the facts…and…sure doesn’t pass along opinion as fact. Of course, following these thoughts will kill a lot of the email that flies around. But so be it.

Grace,

Fred Lybrand

Uncategorized

Communication 101…How often do you flunk?

0215ag3sxa 5 Comments

Communication fouls up everything…and…helps make everything work! My personal conviction from Genesis (see Babel incident) is that God put a judgment on communication so we wouldn’t accomplish near so much (and gloat in our own press releases!). Well, here’s a little way in which we flunk communication 101 as we battle the judgment.

We tend to assume that

DISAGREE = DON’T UNDERSTAND

Have you noticed how often people keep telling you and telling you something…and you simply disagree? The reason is simple; they think you don’t understand. I’m mean, let’s face it, “if you understood me, you’d surely agree with me!” Of course, this presumes we are right.

What would happen if you really began to explain to people exactly what you understand them to be saying to you? What would happen if they BOTH knew you understood their view AND disagreed with them?

It’s pretty obvious…you both could talk about the real issues and maybe get somewhere instead of explaining, and explaining, and explaining!

That’s one beauty of my friends who disagree with the Bible…it often means they at least understand something it says well enough to disagree with it. Sometimes, I think we believers are actually busy agreeing with things we don’t understand (but that’s another discussion).

Fred Lybrand

The Faith that Saves is not Alone?